As a result of the advancement of the network technologies, network systems of various types and scales have been developed. Small-scale heterogeneous network systems (e.g., home network systems) are just one kind of network system that have experienced rapid development over recent years. A small-scale heterogeneous network system comprises a limited number of network apparatuses, but often comprises various different kinds of network apparatuses (e.g., set top boxes, smart TVs, tablet computers, smartphones, digital video players, and notebook computers). Network communication standards supported by these network apparatuses are not all the same (i.e., the interface types of the transceiving interfaces of these network apparatuses are not all the same) and some of the network apparatuses comprise a plurality of transceiving interfaces. For example, it is possible that in a small-scale heterogeneous network system, some of the network apparatuses have Power Line Communication (PLC) interfaces and Wi-Fi interfaces while other network apparatuses have Ethernet interfaces and Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) interfaces. Currently, protocols for integrating such different interfaces have been available (e.g., the IEEE 1905.1 Standard, the IEEE 1905.1a Standard, and the ITU-T G.hn protocol) and these protocols can collect transmission information of interface types of the transceiving interfaces in the lower layers.
As mentioned, in a small-scale heterogeneous network system, users can connect to the network by different network apparatuses based on different network communication standards. An issue that comes along with a small-scale heterogeneous network system is how to satisfy the demands of the users for various network transmission statuses in a small-scale heterogeneous network system. For example, how to make the quality of service (QoS) of network transmission meet the levels set by the users. This issue has been discussed for the conventional network systems (i.e., homogeneous network systems). For example, currently technologies such as integrated service and differentiated service have been developed to meet the particular QoS. However, this issue has not been fully discussed in the field of small-scale heterogeneous network systems due to the network apparatuses comprised in the small-scale heterogeneous network system being diversified and the protocols adopted by these network apparatuses for communication being diversified as well.
Accordingly, how to satisfy the demands for various network transmission statuses in a small-scale heterogeneous network system from the users is still an important topic in this field.